1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to image forming devices and more particularly to cleaner blade sealing for an electrophotographic image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the electrophotographic printing process, an electrically charged rotating photoconductive drum is selectively exposed to a laser beam. The areas of the photoconductive drum exposed to the laser beam are discharged creating an electrostatic latent image of a page to be printed on the photoconductive drum. Toner particles are then electrostatically picked up by the latent image on the photoconductive drum creating a toned image on the photoconductive drum. The toned image is transferred to the print media (e.g., paper) either directly by the photoconductive drum in a one-step transfer system or indirectly by an intermediate transfer member in a two-step transfer system. The toner is then fused to the media using heat and pressure to complete the print. Not all of the toner picked up by the photoconductive drum is transferred to the print media or intermediate transfer member due to inefficiencies in the image transfer process. Waste or residual toner left on the photoconductive drum after the photoconductive drum has contacted the print media or intermediate transfer member is removed before the next image is formed in order to avoid contamination of the next image. For this purpose, a cleaner blade in contact with the photoconductive drum (and, in a two-step transfer system, the intermediate transfer member) removes the waste toner from its surface. The waste toner cleaned from the surface of the photoconductive drum initially falls to a temporary waste toner sump and is then moved to a permanent waste toner reservoir where it is stored. It is important to seal the waste toner in the area around the cleaner blade and the waste toner sump in order to prevent leakage. Sealing in this area can be particularly difficult in image forming devices having a pivoting cleaner blade.